A 15-year-old Coon Rapids student says he wears a rosary as a necklace to feel close to his grandmother, who is suffering from breast cancer. But the Anoka-Hennepin School District told him to remove it.

Minnesota Sens. Al Franken and Amy Klobuchar voted to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act in a Senate committee hearing Thursday. The repeal effort still needs to pass on the Senate floor and faces challenges in the Republican-controlled House.

Brunswick Corp. and Lund Boat Co. have agreed to pay $295,000 in back wages and interest to nearly 200 female job applicants who were rejected for entry-level positions at a Minnesota manufacturing plant. The settlement comes after a lawsuit was filed by the U.S. Department of Labor last year alleging hiring discrimination.

The Sirius satellite radio host launched into a rant defending gay rights that included a reference to the Rolling Stone article about teen suicides in the Anoka-Hennepin school district. Stern says the Minnesota Congresswoman and Rick Santorum "are the two worst people on the planet."

Students, teachers and staff at Anoka-Hennepin say a new anti-bullying policy appears to be making strides. The school district is scrutinized and facing lawsuits after a series of student suicides--some of which are tied to bullying. The Star Tribune reports there are fewer incidents so far this year. But some teachers especially remain concerned about the district’s neutral stance on discussion sexual orientation.

The St. Cloud School District would have to report to the federal government any future allegations of harassment or discrimination against Somali students under a settlement that would end an investigation in the district. The investigation finds the district did not break any federal rules in how it handled previous incidents.

Former Senate Republican staffer Michael Brodkorb is filing a gender discrimination complaint over his firing. He argues he was fired for having an affair with Senate Majority Leader Amy Koch, while women who have affairs with male senators are not punished. Brodkorb's lawyer says the complaint is a step toward a lawsuit.